In april 2010, the President of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero together with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, José Blanco, presented the Extraordinary Infrastructure Plan (PEI). The PEI envisages an investment of €17 billion and 70% of this amount will be assigned to railways. The objective is to revitalize economy and employment through investment in transport infrastructure.

This plan is Spain’s greatest public-private collaboration strategic framework.Second Vice-President Elena Salgado and the President of Adif, Antonio Gonzalez Marin were also present among more than 300 other people in Chamartin Station. Among those present were representatives of the main trade unions and the transport industry and construction employers, the President of the Spanish Confederation of Employers’ Organizations (CEOE), representatives of Spanish construction companies, representatives of the engineering industry and consultancy companies, as well as concessionary companies and railway material manufacturers. Professional Associations related to the activities of the Ministry of Public Works and representatives of entities that have taken part in the signing of the protocols that guarantee the funding of the plan. (BEI, CECA, AEB and ICO).

Plan Objectives

Through this plan, the Government, financial entities and industry companies have come together in order to reactivate economy and employment through investments in transport infrastructures.
The plan advances investments in 2010 and 2011 that would otherwise have been postponed.
Investments worth €17 billion will be released equivalent to 1.7% of GDP.
Job creation will be promoted, both short term for infrastructure construction and long term for conservation and maintenance tasks, once the construction has been completed
A change in productive model will be promoted and sustainable mobility will be furthered and therefore:

– Economic, social and territorial sustainability of our transport system will be enhanced.
– Transport costs will be reduced and economy efficiency and competitiveness will also improve.
– Railway transport will be boosted.
Approximately 70% of investments will be assigned to railways
Approximately 30% of investments will be allocated to improve road infrastructures
Safety enhancement is reinforced, guaranteeing the conservation and maintenance of transport infrastructures in optimum conditions. The profits of the concessionary will depend on the reliability of the infrastructures, and this will underpin conservation and maintenance commitment.